Rotary drilling apparatus.



E; El G REVE.

ROTARY DRILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 2?. 191a.

1,259,852. Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

. i 2 SHEETS-SHEET l- |=||3.1. FIGZ.

I b 1/ -LL l 1 6 I7 ,8 V c I d I c ,6 a i z I?VENTOFI E. E. GREVE.

ROTARY DRiLLlNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. ms.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FIG.5.

' gITNESSES I WW.

free feed movements to UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

EDGAR E. GBEVE, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNon. To on. WELL SUPPLY COMPANY, or m'rrsnunon, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY DRILLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented Mar, 19 1918.

Application filed April 27, 1916. Serial No. 93,919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDGAR E. GREVE, a citizen of the United States residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is'a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in well drilling apparatus of the hydraulic rotary type having means for rotating the drill stem and at the same time permitting the stem.

Different ways of providing this result have been heretofore employed, either by gripping the drill stem itself, or by the use of an auxiliary stem (known in the grade as a grief or grip stem) to which the drill stem is attached. The drill stem is formed of sections of pipe and is adapted to have sections added thereto as required, and the grief or grip stem of a one-piece structure preferably non-circular in cross section. When an auxiliary or grief or grip stem is employed for connecting the drill stem proper with the rotary driving mechanism and it is desired to add an additional drill stem section, the stems are raised sufficiently to expose the coupling therebetween; the grief stem is disconnected and a new drill stem section added, after which the grief stem is connected with the added section and both stems lowered to resume drilling.

While it is highly desirable to employ grief stems in rotary drilling operations, they have not heretofore been advantageously employed due to various reasons.

For instance, the operating conditions, where the rotary drilling system is particularly applicable, are such that a portion of the hole near the bottom is very apt to cave in when the drill stem is withdrawn for the purpose of adding a new section thereto.

When caving does occur and an attempt is made to lower the drilling stem to the bot tom of the hole, the obstruction will prevent the drill stem end or bit from reaching the bottom, consequently, the grief stem, which has heretofore been necessarily limited as to length, and which has been raised out of operative engagement with the rotary driving mechanism, is prevented from being placed in position to rengage and cooperate with the said rotary driving mechanism. For example, assuming the length of grief drill stem section as twenty feet (these being the lengths generally employed) the withdrawing the bottom of the drill stem a distance of thirty feet from the bottom of the hole, which distance would be decreased to ten feet when the drill stem section is added. If at this time, the cayin has actually bridged this distance, the grief stem would not enter the drive mechanism. Owing to this possibility, the grief stem should be considerably increased in length, for example, to at least forty-five feet.

Such increase in length in turn increases the cost of manufacture and the difliculties of transportation where the stem is of a onepiece form. This objection may be overcome by forming the rief stem in sections, but the diflicult of producing sections which, in use will produce the uniform ex terior surface of the stem necessary to permit an uninterrupted feed of the drill stem, an unimpeded jumping of the drill, the desired cooperating action with the driving mechanism, and a convenient and ready manipulaiton of the parts when a new drill stem section is placed in position, have heretofore prevented the general use of a sectional grief stem.

The resent invention is designed to overcome tlie objections encountered in the use of either a one-piece grief stem or a sectional stem and their cooperating mechanisms employed in rotary drilling systems.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings.

, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a rotary drilling apparatus showing sections of grief and drill stems in elevation, the parts being shown in position where a grief stem section has tem orarily reached the stem as thirty feet and a movement of the stems raises Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of parts after the bushing has been shifted to permit further feed movement.

Fig. 3 is a erspective view of a preferred form of bushing in its open position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a drive ring which may be employed.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the drive ring on line 5-5 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the bushing in position in the drive ring.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, showingthe joint connecting two grief stem sections.

In carrying out my. invention, I employ rief stem sections which are non-circular in cross sectional contour, with each section of similar contour, and couple the sections together by a coupling member, usually, but not necessarily, of circular contour, the ends of the coupling member, for at least a portion of the end surface, projecting outwardly beyond the surface of the section to'form a shoulder or abutment adapted to coiiperate with a bushing when the travel of the stem brings such coupling ends into contact with the bushing.

In the drawin s, I have indicated the grief stem at a, te stem being formed of sections 10 having any desired cross sectional non-circular contour, the drawings indicating such contour as square, each section,however, having a similar contour with that of the remaining sections. A coupling member is indicated at 11, the sections and member being preferably threaded together. a designates the drill stem sections.

The grief stem is adapted to coiiperate with a drive ring bushing, indicated at b, said bushing in turn cooperating with a drive ring 0 or direct with the table d of the rotary, as may be desired; the drive ring arrangement is disclosed in the drawings, but it will be understood that the elements of the ring which cooperate with the bushing may be placed on the rotary table itself, thus dispensing with the use of the drive ring. I

The table (I may be of any desired form, and driven in any desired manner. Various ways of forming and driving such tables are disclosed in prior patents, as for instance, patent to R. E. Kline #1,099,453, June 9, 1914, in which the table is adapted to be driven from a suitable source of power and is provided with means for the seating of a drive ring, the latter bein operatively connected to rotate with the ta is by means of suitable pins indicated as drive. pins, this being a convenient form of connection. In the accompanyin drawings, I have also indicated the use 0 drive pins, but it will be apparent that other ways of connectin the drive ring and table may be provide gamete v such for instance, as the well known tongue and oove form of connection.

Drive ring 0 shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5, is in the form of a disk-like member having a vertical aperture 15 elongated in one direction and formed with V -shaped enlargements 16 at the sides of the aperture or openin said enlar ements opposing each other. T e walls of t e openin largements extend vertically an are of suitable vertical length, the drive ring structure being extended downwardly around these walls a desired length. The end walls of opening 15 are of less vertical length than the len h of the walls of the enlargements, as seen more particularly in Fig. 5. The enlargement walls are adapted to serve as guides for the vertical movement of the bushing presently described, the end portions of opening 15 being intended to permit of the free movement of other portions of the bushing. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the top of the drive ring is preferably depressed around the periphery of the enlargements 16, thereby formin seats 17 for flanged portions of the bushing. If desired, the recessed arrangement may also extend around the ends of opening 15, although this is not essential, the seats shown being suflicient to provide the support for the bushing. Obviously, the depressions may be omitted, the bushing then seating on the top of the ring.

The drive ring is also shown as having openings 18 for drive pins which connect the drive ring with the table. Suitable'openings 19 are also shown, these being intended to receive T-bolts by means of which the drive ring can be lifted from its position on the table when desired.

The table is properly formed to receive the drive ring, the vertical extensions forming the walls of opening 15 and enlargements 16 extending into the table. Where the drive ring is omitted, the table will have the opening 15 and enlargements 16 as well as seats 17, these being the particuand its enlar elements of the drive ring which cohaving the ear perforations in alinement to permit of the passage of a bolt or pin.

The bushing, when closed, has an external configuration approximating that of opening 15 and enlargements 16 of the drive ring, the bushing being formed to provide a loose fit in order that the bushing may move vertically within the guides which are provided r respond to two of the four faces of the the drive action for a masses by color ements 16. As shown, the tops of the bus ing members are provided with flanges 23, adapted to rest on the seats 17 when the bushing has moved downwardly to the desired extent. The members "20 are also provided with slots 24 for the reception of T-bolts by means of which the bushing ma be raised from the drive ring.

ls shown, each member 30 is provided 'with vertical walls arranged complementary to a predetermined portion of the contour of a gnef stem section. As the latter section is indicated in the drawin as square,the walls of a member 20, indicated at 25, cor;

1e stem, this arrangement causing the wal s of the two members to form a square opening when the members are closed, this opening receiving a grief stem section with suflicient freedom to ermit feeding action. Obviously, should the grief stem section have a different; contour, the wall arrangemont of the bushing would be varied accordin ly.

The walls 25 have a vertical lengtg'snfficieut to provide a positive drive action to the grief stem when located therein. In practice, I have found that a vertical len h of ten inches is amply sufiicie'nt to prov de square grief stem having a face width of six inches i As shown inFig. ,3, the bushing, below the walls 25 may be skeletonized m form, this portion bein preferably providedvvith one or more ri 26, harm their. inner faces cut away to an extent sufiicient to permit the free assage of a con ling member 11 when mem vs 20 are closed 4 From the above, it will be understood that the drive ring a is detachably secured to the table and positively driven thereby, and that the drive ring'bushing b 'insertible within the bushing uides of the drive ring is movable vertical yv-in such guides. To permit of insertion, the. bushing must be closed, and when inserted, the com lemen tat configurationbetween the bushing and drive riiig is such that the rotative movements of the drive rin will becouunnnicated to the bushing an, by the latter to the grief stem sect-ion.

- Openings 15 and enlargements 16 are sufiieiently large to permit the free passage of' the tubular sections forming the drill stein, In assembling the drill and grief stems, the drill stem sections are coupled together, the coupling of the u per section receiving a threaded end of as lower section of the grief stem, the grief stem section being threaded tightlyto position within such couplrug. Bushing b is then placed about the grie stem with walls 26 above the coupling connecting the griefand drill stein sections; the buslungis then closed and locked, and the stems lowered until the bottom of the drill stem contacts with the bottom of the hole.

The bushing will he. supported on the couiling due to the lower faces of walls 25 rest mg on the shoulder or abutment produced by the end of the coupling. until the lowering movcuu-nt is snllieieut to seat. the. hushiug. During illls lowering movement, the lower end of the bushing passes into the bushing guides of the drive ring. and after it is entered n suitable distance, positive drive action may be communicated to the drill stem through the grief stem. As the drilling action continues and the stem gradually lowers, bushing I will follow the coupling until flanges 23 rest on seats 17. thus retaining the bushing against further downward movement, the grief stem section, however. being free to continue its downward travel until the couplingmember 11 at the upper end of the grief stem section passes into contact with the top of the bushing, thus preventing further downward movement of the drill and grief stems. When this point is reached. a suceemliug section of grief stem is threaded to the coupling memher 1]. afterwhich the coupled gr ef and drill stout-i are raised a distuncesullicient V to permit raisingof the bushing out of the drive ringa distance in excess of the vertical height of the bushing. The bu'shin is then mismlythe loo-kingpin removed, an the bushing swung toils open position, wherenpon', it is movedbodily to place walls 25. above coupling member 11, after which the bushing is closed, locked, and the stems lowered until the bottom of the hole is reached.

As will be seen, this last described action has transferred couplingmcmbcr 11 from a point above the walls 25 to a point below these walls, placing the coupling in Josition where it is inetl'eetivc to prevent fee movement of the drill stem. This necessarily raise the position of the bushing a distance equal to the width of coupling member ll. and the length of walls 25 whch the lower end of the drill reaches the bottonrof tho hole. Consequently, the bushing will not roach-its seated osition until the drill has moved downwart a distance ual to the distance corresponding to the'wldth of the cou lifi and length of walls 25. To permit of t in esired drive action when this change in position occurs, increase in vertical length of the bushing is had. ribs 26 supporting the walls of the bushing during the tune the bushing is moving toward its seat. When the coupling at the upper end of this second grief stmn section lmltllus the bushing. the action is repeated. the bushing being transferrcd from below to ab v tho coupling member, the Sirius lowered, and the opcra tion resumed.

stem structure grief stem sectibns may be con led together in this manner; in fact, the entire drill stem may, if desired, he made up of such sections. However, the desired result can be obtained by coupling three or four of such sections t "ether, and when'the coupling member at t e top of the last section is reached,

the entire drill stem can be raised until the grief stem is entirely withdrawn, the sectional formation permitting'the grief stem sections to be taken apart as they are withdrawn, thus eliminating any requirement for the use of rigging structures ca able of handling stems of great length. n withdrawing, the upwardly moving coupling contacts with the bottom of the stem guides and raises the bushing out of the drive ring, whereupon, it is opened and laid aside. The requisite number of drill stem sections are then placed in position in the usual manner, the first ief stem section is then added and the bushing placed in position as before to repeat the operation. a

A will be readily apparent, the raising movements required to permit transfer of -does not raise the Consequently,

side of the coupling to less than three feet) rill a sufficient distance material caving of the holdno diiliculty of this character is had during the drilling operation. Where a plurality of grief stem sections are emloyed, the withdrawal movement is of such ength (for instance, sevent dive to one hundred feet) that any caving that may occur will be ineffective to prevent the en trance of the bushing into position. v

The advantages of this arrangement. will be readily understood. The operator need onl v carry a few grief stem sections in stock an yet be able to provide practically a continuous drilling action equal in length-to the length of a one-piece grief stem having the length of the coupled sections. The grief stem sections may be of a length readil manufactured and easily transported.- he coupling of sections and the transfer of the bushing can be had rapidly and without dilficulty. Caving of the well is ineffective to prevent operation. 'The grief stem sections are coupled together with the bushing from'one the other (generall to permit any mechanism includin 'low said grip-stem enga ordinary couplings and without necessity of attempting to elude the sections. The couplin members automatically cooperate with the ushing to prevent damage. forming supports for the combined stems during the downward travel and lifting the bushing during the upward travel, thereby dispensing with the necessity of carefully watching the drilling apparatus by the operator.

What I claim is ze 1. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination with a drill stem and rotary drive mechanism including an apertured table, of means operatively connecting the drill stem and drive mechanism to rotate the stem and permit its feed movements, said means including a sectional non-circular grip stem having a projecting couplin connecting two adjacent ends and a separa 1e grip-stem clamping element loosely mounted in the table opening, said clamping element being of sufiicient length to permit shiftin of the element to pass the coupling and to be operatively connected with the table and gripstem in either position. i

'2. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination with a drill stem and rotary drive an apertured table, of a sectional non circu ar rip-stem having an enlarged joint, a separab e grip-stem clam ing' element loosely mounted in the tab e opening and vertically movable therein, said clamping element. having broad integral grip-stem engaging table opening being non-tapering and the exterior of the clamping-element having straight faces to fit against said'walls of the table opening and projected downwardly being faces, whereby driving engagement may maintained when passing the joint of the grip-stem.

3. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination with a drill stem and rotary drive mechanism including an apertured table, a drive-ring mounted in the table opening, a sectional non-circular rip-stem having an enlarged joint, a separa le grip-stem clamping cement loosely mounted in the drive ring and having interior grip-stem engag ng faces, said clamping element and drive-ring straight non-tapering faces, said clampin elements projecting downwardly below-t e grip-stem engaging faces, whereby driving engagement may be maintained when passing the oint of the grip-stem.

- 4. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination with a drill stem, of a sectional grip-stem of non-circular form and having enlargements intermediate its ends for connecting the sections to ther, rotary drive mechanism including a ta be having an opening therein, a separable clamping element loosely entered in the table opening and prohaving complemental faces, the walls of the i jeeting downwardly through the table and vertically movable therein while in operating position, said clamping element 'having broad integral grip-stem engaging faces positioned in the interior of the upper portion of the clamp, and an elongated exterior surface extending below the said engaging faces to provide engagement with the table when the clamping device is partially raised out of the table opening. v

5. In rotary drilling apparatus, the combination with a drill stem and rotary drive mechanism including an apertured table, a drive ring mounted in the table opening, a sectional non-circular grip stem having a projecting coupling connecting two adjacent ends, a separable gri stem clamping element loosel mounted in the drive ring, said clamping e ement being of sufiicient ength to permit shifting of the element to pass the 20 EDGAR E. GREVE.

Witnesses:

ALax. S. Manon, W. G. Dootrrrm. 

